Electrolytic cell.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN D. OHAPLIN, OF WIN CHESTER, AND HENRY HALLORAN, OF BOSTON,

' MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,064, dated January1 1901. Application filedMay 29, 1899- Serial No, 718,630. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it. known that we, EDWIN D. OHAPLIN, residing at'Winchester, in thecounty of MiddleseX, and HENRY G. HALLORAN, residing at Boston, in thecounty of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, citizens of the UnitedStates, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrolytic Cells, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had- :o therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in an electrolytic cell of novelandimprovedcharacter and construction for use in the production of chlorin andcaustic alkali. v

x 5 The invention will be described first with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which latter we have illustrated the bestembodiment thereof that we have yet contrived, after which thedistinguishing andcharacterzo istic features of our cell will also beparticularly pointed out, and distinctly defined in the claims at theclose of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional representation of anelectrolytic apparatus containing the said embodiment of ourinvention.Fig. 2 is a view in plan of a positive element. Fig. 3 is a detail view,partly in section, on an enlarged scale, chiefly intended to illustratethe adjustable nozzle in connection with the outflow-pipe. Fig. 4 is asectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the means for feeding salthereinafter described.

Having reference to the said drawings, 1 designates a containing vesselor tank, the same in practice usually being built of wood and receivingwithin it both electrodes, the accessories of the anode, and also theelectrolyte, the latter being, for example, a solution of chlorid ofsodium.

2 designates a suitable supply pipe by means of which to provide for aflow of solution into the tank.

5 designates an outflow-pipe for tank 1,leading from adjacent thecathode and intended 4.5 to'provide for the gradual discharge of thecation. Thevsaid outflow-pipe 5 is furnished with a discharge-nozzle 6at its outer end, which is conveniently made capable of a vertical adjustment-as, for instance, by being arranged to slide on said outer endof outflowpipe 5in order to secure the desired normal height of theliquid-level within the said tank 1. The nozzle 6 may be held in placeon pipe 5 at the required height by friction or by any approved meansfor the purpose. I The cathode 7 is constituted in the drawings by themetallic bottom Within tank 1, which is shown in Fig. l, the wiringbeing indicated at 8. Preferably the said cathode is in t-hewform of alining for the bottom and sides of the negative compartment, it beingmade in practice as a shallow pan, which is set in place at the bottomof the tank, it constituting a receptacle for the cation. The use ofthis pan-like cathode renders it unneces- 65 sary to take any precautionto render the tank (which usually is made of wood) proof against theaction of the caustic which is produced at the cathode. The anode 9in-the illustrated embodiment of the invention is disposed in tank 1verticallyabove the cathode 7. Preferably the said anode is in the formof a continuous cylindrical ring standing vertically, as shown in thedrawings, the said ring being represented in section on a verticaldiametrical plane in Fig. 1. The lower edge of the said ring preferablyis made V- shaped, as shown in Fig. 1, to facilitate the lateral escapeof gas at such edge, although this is not indispensable. The ring isformed of suitable materialsuch, for instance, as carbon or brown oxidof lead. The anode' 9 isinclosed in a chamber 10, of suitable materialeapable of retaining the chlorin which is set free, and it is supportedwithin the said chamberin suitable manner--as, for example, by means ofprojections 100 100, extending inwardly from the chamber, the saidprojections being received in notches in the lower edge of the anode, asshown. The anode and cathode are contained, respectively, in distinctspaces or compartments, which are divided off from the generalelectrolyte-containing space of tank 1 by means of diaphragms 12 and 13,which may be formed of cotton cloth or other material suitable for thepurpose. The diaphragm 12 for the cathode 7 extends horizontally acrossthe interior of tank 1 in the illustrated embodiment of the inventionjust above the cathode and is at-.

tached in suitable and convenient manner at the sides of the tank. Thediaphragm 13 for the anode 9 is attached to the lower edge of a ring, as14, of wood or the like, surrounding the chamber 10, as shown in Fig. 1.The posi tive element, comprising the ring 14, diaphragm l3, chamber 10,and anode 9, is immersed in the general electrolyte-containing space ofthe tank 1. Between the two diaphragms 12 and 13 intervenes a portion ofthe general interior space of tank 1, the same being occupied by aportion of the electrolyte.

15 designates a pipe communicating with the interior of chamber 10 andalso with a main, as 16, and serving for conducting away the chlorin asfast as it is set free.

17 17 designate beams extending across the top of tank 1. The woodenring 14 is suspended from these beams, as by means of wires 18 18, andthe chamber 10 is furnished with outwardly-extending projections 19 19,resting on the upper edge of the ring 14, the said chamber being thussupported. A plurality of positive elements is shown contained Withinthe tank 1 in Fig. 1, and it will be understood that in practice anyconvenient number of the same may be employed Within a single tank andwith a single cathode.

The cation which collects adjacent the cathode passes out through theoutflow-pipe 5 and is discharged through the nozzle 6, the caustic beingled into any suitable receiver. A pipe 21 is connected with the top ofsaid nozzle, if desired, for the purpose of leading the hydrogen fromthe said outflow-pipe to any suitable receiver.

The diaphragm 13 adjacent to the anode is of such a texture and materialas to preclude flow either inwardly into the anode-compartment from thegeneral electrolyte-containing space of the tank, or outwardly from thesaid compartment into the said space. It permits osmose, however, and wetherefore term it an osmotic diaphragm. We have secured the requireddensity in some cases by the employment of cotton cloth of propertexture. In other cases we have employed in connection with a diaphragmof cotton cloth a sheet of asbestos in contact with and resting upon thesaid cloth. By this means we confine the chlorin and prevent it frompassing out into the solution in the general electrolyte-containingspace of the tank and finding its way thence into thecathode-compartment. The diaphragm 12 adjacent the cathode serves thepurpose of preventing difiusion of the caustic into the said generalelectrolyte-containing space of the tank. It permits flow of theelectrolyte toward the cathode, however, and we therefore term itapervious diaphragm. The confinement of the caustic within thecathode-compartment is assisted by the fact that the outflow for thecaustic occurs adjacent to the cathode. The presence between thediaphragms of an intervening portion of the solution that is fed intothe general electrolyte-containing space of the tank operates eeaoea toprevent such proximity of the chlorin and caustic to each other as wouldenable their chemical affinity to cause them to become joined. Therebythe ad mixture of chlorin and caustic within the cell is prevented andthe formation of chlorates and hypochlorites is avoided. If the admixture were permitted to take place, not only would the purity of theproducts of decomposition be depreciated, but the efliciency of theapparatus would be affected injuriously in consequence of the fact thata portion of the energy of the electric current would be expendedunprofitably in decomposing the secondary products instead of the entireenergy being expended in decomposing the brine proper.

For the purpose of keeping within the anode-compartment a properquantityof salt in solution we provideaporous bag 22, which is suspended withinthe solution inside the chamber 10 by means of a pipe 23, passingthrough the top of the said chamber. \Vitlb in the tube we provide afeed-screw 2a or other means of forcing the salt down through the tubeinto the bag. This enables a supply of salt to be introduced from timeto time into the chamber from the exterior of the latter in a convenientmanner. For the purpose of preventing the escape of chlorin the enlargedor hopper-like upper end of pipe 23 is furnished with a removable cover25. Through a central. hole in the said cover the stem of the feed-screw24 passes, the said hole being suitably packed in practice to preventthe chlorin from passing out through the same around the said stem. Asuitable packing or gasket, as at 26, isinterposed between the cover 25and the upper end of pipe 23. The cover is held down in place by meansof a clamping-bolt 27 and thumb-nut 28.

The ring It enables us to produce conveniently a liquid-pressure uponthe gas within the chamber 10 by means of which to force the said gasout through the pipe 15 and main 16. As the chlorin accumulates withinthe said chamber it will operate at first to expel from the mouth of thesame the liquid which is contained therein, the said liquid finding itsway into the space between the exterior of the chamber and the ring 14and rising in the said space until its height producesaback pressuresufficient to occasion the outflow of the chlorin. The pressure upon thechlorin produced in this manner is altogether independent of the heightof the liquid contents of the tank outside the anode-compartment. Weintroduce liquid into the chamber 10 by pouring the same into the spacebetween the said chamber and the inclosing ring 14:. In this way loss ofevaporation is compensated for.

We claim as our invention- 1. In an electrolytic cell, in combination,the containing-tank, the cathode, a pervious diaphragm adjacent thecathode of texture to permit liquid flow, the anode, the chamberinclosing the anode, means for suspending izo said chamber within thegeneral electrolytecontaining space of the tank, means to con vey gasaway from the said chamber, and the osmotic diaphragm of such texture asto prevent the flow of liquid therethrough at the mouth of said chamber,the said diaphragms separated from each other by a portion of thegeneral electrolyte-containing space of the tank to prevent anyintercurrent movement of the said electrolyte, substantially asdescribed.

2. In an electrolytic cell, in combination, the containing-tank, thecathode, the outfl owpipe leading from adjacent the said cathode, apervious diaphragm adjacent the cathode of texture to permit liquidflow, the anode, the chamber inclosing the anode, means for suspendingsaid chamber Within the general electrolyte-containing space of thetank, means to convey gas away from the said chamber, and the osmoticdiaphragm of such texture as to prevent the flow of liquid therethroughat the mouth of said chamber, the said diaphragms separated from eachother by a portion of the general electrolyte-containing space of thetank to prevent any intercurrent movement of the said electrolyte,substantially as described.

3. In an electrolytic cell, in combination, the tank 1, the cathode atthe bottom thereof, the outflow-pipe leading from adjacent the saidcathode, the diaphragm above the oathode, the anode, the chamberinclosing the anode, the ring surrounding the said chamber, and thesecond diaphragm applied to the said ring, the two diaphragms beingseparated from each other-by a portion of the generalelectrolyte-containing space of the tank.

4. In an electrolytic cell, in combination, the tank, the chamber, theanode inclosed thereby, the diaphragm adjacent the said chamber, the bagsuspended within the chamtexture as to permit liquid flow, separatedfrom the said osmotic diaphragm by a space adapted to be filled byincoming solution,

and a cathode below said pervious diaphragm.

6. In an electrolytic cell, a positive element consisting of an anode, achlorin-chamber, a ring surrounding the said chamber and inclosing aliquid-containing space between itself and the exterior of said chamber,and a diaphragm across the bottom of said ring.

7. In an electrolytic cell, a tank, a negative compartment at the bottomof said tank containing a cathode and a positive element consisting ofan anode, a chlorin-chamber, and inclosing a liquid-containing spacebetween itself and the exterior of said chamber, a ring surrounding thesaid chamber and a diaphragm across one end of said ring.

8. In an electrolytic cell, the anode and cathode, and the meansdescribed for maintaining the separation of the ions, consisting of aring encircling the anode, an osmotic diaphragm applied to thesaid ringof such texture as to prevent the flow of liquid therethrough, apervious diaphragm of such texture as to permit liquid flow, and anoutflo adjacent to the cathode, the space intermediate the diaphragmsbeing adapted to contain a body of the electrolyte.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

EDWIN D. OHAPLIN. HENRY G. HALLORAN. Witnesses:

OHAs. F. RANDALL, WILLIAM A. COPELAND.

